Propaganda Sheet Doesn't Tell Whole Story

I just finished reading a Town of Payson Water Department brochure which showed up in my mailbox. I am a chemical engineer with experience in the specification, construction, management and operational monitoring of a number of water facilities.

I also spent two years in China, one of which was in Guangzhou. Their city water comes from the Pearl River. Ultra-modern treatment plants convert that soupy mess to water with an analysis every bit as good as that listed for Payson. BUT, when the water came out of the faucet in our apartment, we boiled it (we had a seven minute timer).

Why, pray tell?

Because of the pipes.

What?

Much/most of the delivery system is very old and its condition is not known.

Big deal, replace the pipe!

Good idea; but, they don't know where "the pipe" is. If there were blueprints, they didn't survive 50-plus years of civil and foreign wars. If they did survive, they weren't "as-built" so they're only marginally better than guessing.

OK, just start over and lay all new pipe!

Great, where do they dig? Except for recent engineering projects, the same problems exist for gas lines, sewer lines, phone lines, electric lines, and even unexploded WWII Japanese bombs. How do they dodge all of those? Make no mistake, the same problems exist in any "mature" American city. The prints will have a big HAND EXCAVATE stamped across them,

Bottom line: the Payson Water Department's "self-serving glitzy propaganda sheet" . . . covers about a third of what you ought to be thanking them for. Read closely then humbly and thankfully ponder.